Pro-???

It's strange... for as long as I can remember, I've not had a strong leaning one way or the other in terms of pro-life or pro-choice. I didn't like the idea of abortion, but I could be OK with a woman making her own decision. If pressed, I would have probably even said that I was pro-choice. But recently that has all changed. It's changed because it has become much more personal. A friend of mine told me that she was pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Immediately, I knew that I had to be the pro-life support for her. That was what she was asking for (not overtly, but clearly why she told me as opposed to others in her life). I counseled her as best I could, took her to a pregnancy resource center for more counseling and was there with her when they did a sonogram and showed her the little baby's beating heart.

Through it all, I held to the pro-life line, promoting adoption. And as I argued that line, I realized that I truly am pro-life. Though I could understand her reasoning and why she thought an abortion was best, I could not bring myself to accept that any reason was enough to end this baby's life. And yes, I believe that 5 week old, 3 millimeter, embryo is a baby. I saw its heart beat. I cannot figure out how to justify not call a beating heart life. And I am heartbroken now as I realize that that life was ended today.